The Witcher : Judgement of the Holy Flames
by G.R.W
Summary: It is set during the year 1277, few years after the war, the Black Ones troops and armies left the northern kingdoms to heal, after suffering the bloody battles and terrors at the hands of Nilfgaard. As of our witcher, Geralt of Rivia, he spent most of his time at Corvo Bianco in Toussaint, with Yennefer and Ciri.
1. I

**THE WITCHER**

* * *

 **Judgement of the Holy Flames**

* * *

 **.I.**

The year was 1277, it is the middle of Feainn, almost two years after the retreat of the Nilfgaardian armies from the northern kingdoms, those left with their cock in hand, decided to rebuild Temeria's throne and court of intrigues. Vernon Roche, commander of the Blue Stripes, was among those that led the reconstruction of the kingdom, helped by Kaedweni's royal advisors he managed to build a skeleton, above which he and his close group of court mages and advisors from Temeria and Kaedwen would build upon. The next vital point in the continuation of the kingdom was the king, who had to be chosen.

In that time Geralt spend most of his days and nights with Yennefer, taking few contracts from time to time. Also he trained the child of the prophecy, the one that has elder blood flowing in her veins, Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon or just Ciri. One day he and Ciri left for Brugge where they had a contract. The two leaved Corvo Bianco and the duchy of Toussaint because Yennefer left for few weeks to join the other members of the Lodge of Sorceresses in Temeria, Vizima. After ending their contract in Brugge, the two witchers then adventured further south, to Attre. Where, soon after their arrival, a request from an important figure of the underworld asked for Geralt of Rivia, one that he didn't plan to refuse, from a man called Vivio Vassco.

'Geralt of Rivia, a sight to behold...',

'Mhm, especially after your men almost tried to kill me, you mean.', grunted Geralt.

'They are dumb shits, I have to tell them everything, word by word. I hope you can forgive their incompetence.'

'Depends, what's the reason you asked for me ?'

'I've a contract for you, Geralt. You see, my daughter, Shintia, got herself in a giant fucking shit of trouble...'

'Zoltan told you about me ?'

'Huh, he did mention you some years back. But, this time I heard of your visit to Attre from the one of the guards stationed there.'

'Why me ?'

'You are the best, from what I heard, and I want nothing but the best for this. Find my daughter and kill if needed those who want her harmed.'

'Do you know anyone who may want her...harmed ?'

'None, if some of them were still alive I would be the one holding a blade to their throat now. Not send a witcher to kill them and find my daughter.'

He paused a bit, for he took a sip from the ale he had in his golden goblet, that he held in his left hand.

'She had traveled a few years before the war to Novigrad. Stayed there during the war as I advised, for a travel back here could've cost her life.', continued the issuer of the contract, 'She got herself among those followers of the Church of the Eternal Fire during her stay there. But that was then, now, she had sent through a messenger a letter, that was less than a week ago, in which she mentioned being in danger.'

'You have a lot of enemies, I presume, could be that one of them is trying, if not succeeded already, to kidnap your daughter. Using her for ransom.'

'If it is so, you must find the fuckers and butcher the shit out of them. Take my daughter and bring her home, understood ?'

'Pretty sure I do.'

'Good. Fulfill the contract and a generous amount of gold awaits you. Fail, and you will face certain consequences.'

'Any leads on where I should start ?'

'She mentioned in the letter that she was in a place called Lothorn, near the Amell Mountains.'

'Anything else ?'

'Nothing worth mentioning.'

'Fine, time I was on my way. Farewell.'

'See you soon, witcher. Ah, almost forgot. One of my men is waiting for you outside, he'll take you across the lake.'

Geralt nodded his head, then continued on his way to the door, then the gate of the castle, passed which should be the man that will get him back to the shore of the pond, where at a stable was his mare, Roach.

The fortress had been constructed several centuries back. 10th century, perhaps. On an isle in the middle of a lake, that as the tales say, was filled with crocodiles by the lord of the castle. A vile man, who as few other stories mention that he married his own cousin. His wife gave him four sons, healthy, not monstrous, hideous and mutilated, but normal, beautiful children. Who as they grew older became greedy and years later when their sick, dying father had to chose one of them to rule the castle in his stead they started to quarrel. He chose the youngest, who, as he knew his brothers will be jealous of him, killed them in their sleep. An old folk tale.

When he got through the gate, he was awaited by a tall man, bald, with a goatee.

'You the witcher ?'

'Yes.'

'Get on the boat.'

Geralt did as the man instructed and got on the boat, and so did the man who steered it to the other side of the lake. The man, did not seem very talkative, quiet, mute, if you could say so, said not even one word during the time spent on the boat.

When they did reached the shore of the lake, the man only stopped so that Geralt got off the boat then went back to the fortress on the isle.

After that he went to the stables to get Roach, from where he planned to go straight towards the pass trough the Amell Mountains, west, to the village of Lothorn.

'Good, your back, one more minute and I would've stole a boat to get to the isle.', said the ashen haired woman.

'Ciri...I thought we settled on you staying in Attre while I do this.'

'I got bored and followed your tracks here.'

'Hmm, nicely done.'

'I know, right ? So, where next ?'

'The pass through the Amell Mountains. After that, to a village west of them, called Lothorn.'

'Great, let's get going...'

They traveled half the distance to the village, as the night fell upon the lands of Cintra, then they stopped at the side of the road and made camp, where they spent the night. The next morning both got back on the road and reached Lothorn around noon. It was not a village, or not one that you'd call a village, more of a town, build around an old fort, that was almost in ruins. Inside the town, were at least five brothels, few more taverns and three inns, and among them, peasant huts, houses and more houses.

Geralt and Ciri went to one of the inns where they'd hope to get a room, and something to eat and drink. When they'd decided which, they have stopped in front of it and took their horses to the stables.

'I like this one.', said Ciri, while the growl of her empty stomach made it in the background of the conversation, 'I'm so hungry...'

'Go inside, find a table, order the food and drinks and ask about rooms. While I take Roach and Kelpie to the stables.'

'Alright then.', responded Ciri, handing Geralt her horse reins.


	2. II

**.II.**

* * *

 ** _'_** ** _Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.'_**

 ** _―Ernest Hemingway_**

* * *

While Geralt took the horses to the stables and planned to pay the one tending to them. Ciri went inside the Inn, which was crowded as you would usually asume, then she approached the innkeeper.

'Excuse me...'

'Yes, what is it ?'

'I'd like to know if you have rooms ?'

'Plenty, is it for you and that white haired fella ?'

'Yes.'

'Here.', said the inkeeper as she placed on the counter one key.

'We want two rooms.'

'Why's that ? You and the fella ain't...', replied the innkeeper, then looked around, 'Bisca !'

'Yes.', answered the help, from the cellar, as she walked up the stairs behind the counter. 'What is it ?'

'Check the white haired man outside, at Blue Liver's stables...'

The young woman did as the older one asked.

'So, is he young ?', asked the old hag, as soon as Bisca reached the window looking out towards the stables.

'No, old.', after that the innkeeper, turned back to Ciri.

'Sorry my dear.', continued the innkeeper, looking at Ciri, while her help, Bisca, resumed to the work she was doing previously, that was moving two crates out of the cellar and placing them behind the counter, 'My eyes are pretty bad at my age, I thought of something else. Here, they are on opposite sides of the corridor. That's thirty-four ducats.'

'It's fine.'

Ciri payed the innkeeper for the two rooms, then looked for a table and if Geralt hasn't entered the inn yet.

'Also, can you bring us some food and drinks to the table.'

'Will do.'

'Thanks.'

Geralt was still in the stables, taking some things off Roach's saddle.

'What you' witchers doing here ?'

'Looking for someone.'

'Careful while you're doing that to not annoy the wrong people, there's a lot of them in these parts.', responded the man called Lundolff 'Blue Liver', after which he soaked his sore throat with a drink from a bottle of rum he had next to him.

'Noted. Here, keep the change.'

Geralt handed the stables owner a pouch of ducats, enough for the man to take care of his horse and Ciri's until Yule. Then he walked toward the entrance to the Inn.

As soon as he stepped through the door, Ciri waved to him. He went to the table and sat on the other side of it.

'So ?'

'I've got us the rooms, and ordered the food and drinks.'

'Good.', then Geralt noticed that Ciri was spinning something in her palm, 'What you got there ?'

'This ? Something Vesemir gave me...'

'Huh, the wooden wolf medallion. He did have a lot of ways to kill time.'

'He did.', Ciri smiled, then kept looking at the gift she received from Vesemir.

They both had few moments of silence.

'About the contract...', began Ciri, cracking the silence, 'Anything to go for ?'

'Chestnut-brown hair, green eyes. Her name, Shintia, and that she stayed in a hut with a blue front wall. '

'Many, as far as those things go...'

'We'll ask around later.'

'I agree.', then she giggled, 'What do you think Yennefer will do when she goes back and we're not at Corvo Bianco ?'

'Huh, be angry, perhaps.'

Then they both smiled, while the innkeeper's help approached the table the two were staying at.

'Here is your food and drinks...'

'Thank you.', responded Ciri, as she was famished.

While they ate, Geralt checked a couple of people in the inn. Few of them looked like they knew what comes and goes in the town. He noticed that some of them were watching him and Ciri for some time.

'What is it ?', asked Ciri.

'Nothing, just looking around.'

'Mhm, so what do you see ?'

'Four men that have been watching us since we've both sat down at this table.'

'I've noticed them to, what do you think ?'

'They're just watching, probably someone's lackeys, someone important. Someone that thought it safe to have 'em watch us.'

'At least we know we have someone's attention...'

'Mhm.', murmured Geralt.

The two witchers, repurposed their attention to the stews they had on the table in front of them and the ale in their tankards. After which Bisca the help of the innkeeper poured another round, and served them with a delicious blueberry pie.

'This town is pretty big, lots of places someone could hide. And then there is the forest north-east of here.', said Ciri, as she took a slice of pie.

'Let's finish our food and drinks, then we'll split to see what's what.'

'Fine.'

Few moments later...

'How does your new armor feel so far ?'

'I love it, though, there could be few adjustments to the shoulder area...', responded Ciri then took another bite from the slice of pie she held in her right hand, 'I'll swing by Lafrague's workshop when we go back in Beauclair.'

After few more minutes, the two got up from the table, Ciri went to the innkeeper to pay the food and drinks, while Geralt walked out of the Inn, waiting for Ciri to do the same.

'Alright then.', said Ciri, as she walked out of the Inn.

'We'll go separate ways, to cover more ground. I go south, you go north and we'll meet back here at dusk.'

'Good.'

'Remember, we got someone interested in our presence here. We must be careful.'

'Got it.'

'Fine, see you later.'

Then, both went in opposed directions. The search for Shintia, began.

* * *

Ciri thought to ask around the market near the Inn about the blue hut. But she had no luck, none of the merchants present at that time there, were residing in the town, so she walked out of the market area.

As the witcheress walked the alleys of Lothorn to its northern side, made of dirt and mud and from time to time you'd notice some of the old cracked cobblestone that once covered the whole street. She soon came close to one of the brothels of this town. In front of it, the voices of some men swearing and cursing, who were punching, slapping and kicking another. A young man, who was on his knees, spitting blood and wiping off his bloody face with his shirt's sleeve. He carried a knife, but, he did not use it, nor did he move his hand anywhere close to it. He just stood down and kept taking the hits the other men delivered him, who did so laughing, one after the other. He raised his hand only to wipe the blood off his face and lips, then awaited for the next set of punches and kicks.

'Stop it.', began Ciri, as she approached the very establishment of the brothel.

'Huh ?', began one.

'What did she say ?', asked another.

'I said to stop it.'

'Stop what ?', asked again the one that murmured first, hitting the boy with the outside of his palm.

'Are you serious ? Stop beating him.'

'Oh...sure.', then the man stopped hitting the kid.

'Why were you doing it ? For what reason ?'

'You see, his mom works in this very brothel...He comes every night on the day it's today, to get her to leave with him, find a better life. She says she doesn't want to leave, but, he doesn't get it and keeps on bugging her. So, she calls us. We drag him out and beat him until he's unconscious then we leave him here, come morning, he's gone...', said the man, tall, bulked up, bald and clean shaved, with brown eyes and dressed in elegant clothes. Clearly, the boss of those thugs that you can see around every brothel in Lothorn.

'What's his name ?'

'Damned if we know. I didn't ask.'

'I see, you were to busy striking him...'

'I guess. Come boys, let's get back in, we've done our job here. Have a lovely evening.'

'You too.', answered Ciri, while the men went back inside the brothel. She then approached the young man.

'Are you alright ?'

'Hmm...', murmured the kid, as he was slowly wiping his bloody face with his right hand's sleeve.

'What is-', began Ciri, then stopped as the young man, fell unconscious on his left side.

The witcheress then dragged him on the other side of the street, where she left him laying. She sat next to him, awaiting for him to wake up, holding in her hand the wooden wolf medallion Vesemir gave her.

* * *

While that happened, Geralt, who was on the other side of town, searching for some clues of where Shintia could be. As he walked down the streets, heading south, he noticed someone following him since he took a left turn few meters from the Inn. The streets he was on lead to a small, dark alley, where he planned to ambush his stalker and get some answers.

Geralt quickly took a left turn that left his pursuer guessing, who ran to the location he last saw the witcher, and looked left and right, but had no clue where he went.

Suddenly he's taken aside, into one of the dark alleys, so quickly he didn't manage to do anything. Taken by Geralt, who had one hand above his mouth and the other holding a knife near his mid section, staring him in the eyes. His follower was scared, then he became even more terrified and started murmuring something when he saw that the witcher held a knife, pointed towards his belly.

'Why were you following me ?', grunted Geralt.

Then he slowly moved the hand that he had above his mouth and pushed his other hand holding the knife closer , so that the tip of the blade touched and pierced the follower's gambeson.

'I- I'm the one that sent for you- I found Shintia's letter, she- had been taken by then-'

Geralt knew he was telling the truth, so he slowly sheeted his knife, and moved a step back from him.

'Why ?'

'I- love her. Sh- She- has been taken because of me-'

'What do you mean because of you ?'

The man in front of Geralt took a deep breath then resumed to the answer he owed the witcher.

'We are- were lovers, we both left Novigrad as soon as the black ones left the north and came here, settled down, bought a house and animals, tried to make a living. That has been few months ago, six, almost seven at least. Then last month on a rainy day I- I woke up, went to feed the animals an- and make breakfast for Shintia. When- I opened the door I saw a crate, in which we received the head of my- brother in a bag at our house front door ! With a piece of paper nailed on his forehead, that had written on one side 'Traitor' and on the other, the reason...'. he paused for a bit, as he took another mouthful of air.

* * *

While on Ciri's part of town, the one she had saved from a few more punches and kicks coming from the thugs and their boss, was waking up.

He moaned as he got up, holding one hand on his head while the other he made into a fist, hitting the grass he was laying on.

'Why ?'

He trembled like he was struck by lighting...

'Fuck !', he said later, 'Who're you ? And why what ?'

'I'm Ciri...', began the witcheress, 'And, why do you keep trying to get her out of that place ?

'I'm Jon...', said the young man, 'Because she's my mother...'

'She obviously doesn't want to leave.'

'How could she like living like that ? Why not leave ?'

'Didn't you ask her ?'

'I did but she always calls Bossco...'

'The bald guy ?'

'Mhm...'

'You had a knife, why didn't you defend yourself ?'

'Why should I ? I won't kill, not him, not them, not ever. My father died in the war, I was left alone, orphaned. I don't want anyone to feel what I felt...'

'How old are you ?'

'Seven-teen summers.'

'You'll have to eventually, this world is like kill or be killed...If humans won't get you, monsters will.', continued Ciri, as she looked towards the forest.

'I guess...'

'Have sisters or brothers ?'

'I had two sisters, step-sisters. But, when they got the news that my father died, their mother took them away and she told me to fine my mum, here...'

'How long since that happened ?'

'A year...I think.'

'Where do you live ?'

'There's a hut outside of the town. It used to be abandoned, I think the soldiers got them...'

'You must be pretty tough to live by yourself out there.'

'I got used to it.'

They were both sitting on the grass covered ground and were watching the northern side of the forest, listening to the trees creaking and the rustle of their leaves.

'Jon, have you seen a house that had it's front painted blue ?'

'Hmm, I think I did saw a blue one...'

'Would you care to take me there when you can ?'

'Yes, though can we stay here a bit more ? I'm still dizzy...'


	3. III

**.III.**

* * *

 _ **'Belief ? Faith ? Into what ?**_

 _ **Fairys ? Unicorns ?**_

 _ **No.**_

 _ **Fire.'**_

* * *

'Alright, calm down...', said Geralt.

While the man in front of him, eased his breath, as he was hyperventilating.

'Thanks for listening, I thought for a moment that you would...'

'I didn't plan to. It's not my way to kill without a reason. You did followed me though, yet you're not dead...Should be grateful for that.'

'Huh...I'm Dorian Sttok by the way.'

'Geralt of Rivia.'

'Heard of you actually, you've been a few years ago in Novigrad, didn't you ?'

'I was. But, that was then, now, we should go somewhere we can talk about the rest...'

'Yes, you're right. This way.'

The man called Dorian, who claims to be the lover of Shintia, the woman who Geralt was sent to help. He led Geralt north from that street, passed the Inn the he resided at, to the outskirts of the town, at the edge of it. To the same blue front hut that was mentioned in the letter. That's where Dorian and the witcher stopped at.

'Beautiful place.', said Geralt, as he walked toward the door of the blue hut, behind Dorian.

'I know, Shintia loved it and so did I.'.

'No more ?'

'Not since her disappearance...', Dorian responded, unlocking the door.

'I'll find her, alive and well.'

'I hope so.', continued Dorian, as he stepped through the door.

'She was kidnaped here ?'

'Yes. Haven't been here since then...'

'Where did you stay ?'

'I got a friend who lives not far from here, I stayed there.'

'About the day it happened, where were you ?'

'Out, to the market. It was the third day after we received the head of my brother. They nabbed her that very morning,'

'For what reason ? And who are they ?'

The man took some steps back, pulled a chair and sat on it, while Geralt leaned on the brick fireplace.

'Where should I began ? Huh...'

'From the beginning.'

'Yes, of course.', he took a deep breath, then resumed, 'As Shintia had written in the letter, in Novigrad she'd got herself in a group of people worshiping the Eternal Fire. I was one of them. She and I talked and shared so many topics, from politics to the same view of the things that happened in the world, from mages to dwarfs and elves...she was perfect.'

'Still is, why so sure she's dead ?'

'I'm not-'

'You use the word 'was' very often, don't you think ?'

'Are you saying you think I had something to do with it ? Kidnap my own woman ?'

'Not yet.'

'I didn't.'

'Continue...', insisted Geralt.

Geralt did have some doubts about him, still, he had to let Dorian tell his version of the story.

He exhaled, and then continued. 'The group we were in...Our leader, an old man, a priest, Geoffrey Horndale, wanted us the join the ranks of the Witch Hunters. At that point Shintia and I decided that we should leave. After a couple of days the tower where the commander Caleb Menge and the Witch Hunters resided had been set on fire. That was the best moment for me and her to leave. We managed to get out of there and ran to Keadwen, where my brother was. We stayed there for three months, then we began our journey south, and a few months later we arrived here, in Lothorn, Cintra. And you know the rest...'

The story that Dorian told Geralt was one that seemed to explain the situation, yet, not entirely.

 _If you resume it all to one sentence, the men that took his_ _fiancée_ _were hired by the people he and her met in Novigrad. If that is to be believed, why would they wait years to get their revenge ?_

That was a question he will have answered later, for now the doubt that there was something fishy going on was all that the witcher needed...

* * *

A lovely afternoon. Wind rustling the leaves of the trees outside of the window of a fine establishment. On it's western side, through a cracked open window you could see a man sitting on a chair, naked, smoking opium, while in the bed not far from him a naked woman's figure turned towards him.

'What is this man that you and your friends are talking about ? Davok ? You deaf nowadays ?'

The man lifts his head and sets his eyes upon the woman that asked the previous questions.

'What's it to you ? A dumb whore...'

'I'm your whore. Don't you forget that last favor I did for you...'

'If you'd be mine, you wouldn't be a whore.', he continued, while the woman got up from the bed walking slowly towards the chair the man was sitting in.

'Fine. If that is how you want to go with it.' said the woman, as she laid down on her knees, 'I'm gonna suck it out of you. And we both know I will succeed.'

'Go on then...', answered the one hailed Davok.

He pushed his back against the backrest of the chair, then placed his left hand on the head of the woman, leaning his head back and moaning silently.

'Damn, you can suck...Ah...Shit.', he muttered, looking her in the eyes as she was doing it slowly, then as she intensified the pace he moved his head back a little and closed his eyes.

'Mhm, so...Do you want to tell me about this...man ?'

'Shit...'

'You need more convincing ? Fine.', she got up, placed herself on his lap, leaned over and started rubbing against him. 'What about now ?'

'Fuck, I will fuckin'-'

'Don't you dare fucking come ! I got a couple more things I wanna do to you...', she said, as she grabbed his knob and put it where it belonged.

'Feeling good ?'

'Holy fucking fire...', he began, while the woman was sliding up and down on his lap. The wooden chair was screeching louder and louder accompanied by the sound of skin hitting skin and the moans of the two.

'So ?'

'Hmh, shit...He's a witch-'

'Davok ! You stupid fuck ! Get out here, we have to go now ! The boss wants to move the merchandise.', said one outside the door of the room. Loudly, giving a few hard knocks to the door.

'Oh fuck...', he quickly pushed the woman away from his lap, ran towards the bed's side where he grabbed a pair of pants, his gambeson and sword. 'Got to go babe, talk to you later.'

'My pay...'

'Tsk, shit, here. I'll be coming back.'

'Oh, you fuck ! Come on !', continued the man from the other side of the door.

'I'm glad...', she responded while she looked at him as he walked out the door.

'You fuckin' shit ! This is the fifth time I have to collect you out of a brothel ! Can't you hold it for once in your life ? For a fuckin' day or two ? Your an animal or what ?'

'Yeah, whatever...'

Then the two's voices grew inaudible as they headed to the stairs.

'He's a...witch ? What !?', she said to herself, as she reached for her underwear.

'I thought you had a client ?', said another courtesan, who was leaning on the door jamb.

'I did...'

'It happens to us all...'

'Fuck off Mily ! He leaved because of his dumb friend, who interrupted us.'

'Got anything out of him ?'

'Something about a guy that's a...witch.'

'Well, I got one drunker than that yesterday...He literally fell asleep after I put him in the bed. Easiest gold, ever made.'

'Don't you have anything else to do ?'

'Not really, I just finished with one. Heading to the next one...But first, I wanted to check on you. My dear, Eve.'

'How nice of you.', she said while the girl Mily got close to her.

'I know, it isn't like me at all.', she then quickly grabbed Eve by her waist and kissed her, while with her left hand took a good grip of Eve's round butt cheek.

'Mily...we shouldn't do this. Not now, not here.', said Eve, unbinding her lips from Mily's.

'Come now, while your still in the mood...', she pushed Eve on the bed, while with her right leg she closed the door. Then disrobed and went on her knees, kissing upwards Eve's left leg, until she reached her panties.

* * *

During all that, in a different part of Lothorn, Ciri and the young man called Jon, were heading to the blue colored hut.

'You know the ones living in that hut ?'

'Not really, I know that they are two, a man and a woman. I see the woman usually at the market, but haven't seen her lately.', began Jon. 'She used to come every morning. She used to buy fish, bread, spices...'

'You were spying on her ?'

'Sounds like that isn't it ? That's because she was really good looking. I couldn't take my eyes off her some days. I hope nothing bad happened to her.'

'Something did though...'

'That's why you want to get to the house ?'

'I am here to help her.'

'Good.', sighted Jon, as he was relieved.

'Let's hope she left behind something that could help.', continued Ciri.

As the two got closer to the place where the hut was. Same place where Geralt and Dorian were as well.

* * *

'Got anymore questions ?' asked Dorian.

'None, for now.'

'How fast do you think you can track them ? I mean who knows what they'll do to her...'

'Got to look around, find some clues.'

'Well, feel free to do just that.', responded Dorian.


	4. IV

**.IV.**

* * *

 _'This is_ _it.'_

 _'It see_ _ms so.'_

 _'Be re_ _ady.'_

 _'What for ?'_

 _'Darkness...'_

 _The giant struct_ _ure made of black toned concrete and stone bricks stood strong and ready in front of the young woman and the mage. The only door that led inside the structure was made of obsidian, with certain smea_ _red details of a red colored substance on it, blood. All seemed like a dark realm, imbibed in darkness for eons, not a single natural source of light, only the flickering blue glow coming from a bright bulb on top of the mage's staff._

 _It was nothing but silence, not a sign of other bei_ _ngs in the area. The echoes of their steps upon the rocky ground, the small rocks that were rolling downhill, and their voices resonated through the entire valley. A place that w_ _as forgotten, lost, even by time._

 _'All those that tried to pass, failed. Here in the ve_ _ry place beneath our feet, they rest.'_

 _'This place gives me the shivers...'_

 _'It should. Come, what we need sits calmly ins_ _ide...'_

* * *

'Ciri.'

'Ciri ?', repeated the young man, then he touched her shoulder.

'Yes...', she responded, shaking her head.

'We're here. That's the hut you asked about.'

'Someone's inside...'

'Ciri...'

'Yes ?'

'Are you all right ?'

'Of course.'

'You didn't seem to be, just a moment ago...'

'I was just thinking...about something.', she closed her eyes while placing her right palm over them, kept it there for a moment, then she resumed. 'Let's go.'

Then the two approached the hut. The swift breeze moved the window's shutters, as they were gently hitting the wall. Inside, Dorian was sitting at the table in the main chamber, while in the other room, Geralt was searching for any kind of clues, of how was she taken or maybe where.

'Who's that one ?', began Ciri, as she watched a man suspiciously jump a fence and go behind the hut, surely eavesdropping beneath a window in the back.

'I guess we're gonna follow him ?', asked Jon.

'Yep, who knows what we'll find out...', continued Ciri.

Geralt searched the room thoroughly, no sign of anything being moved, broken, or spilled with any kind of substance, nor cleaned. The only thing that was common was the dust. It seemed to be like everything was as it always had been, nothing was out of place. Yet, when Geralt turned to walk out of the room, he noticed some scratches on the floor, near the door, made by something sharp. A blade perhaps, that touched and slid upon the surface. Then something even more strange caught the witcher's attention.

Between a wooden chest and a glass case that were positioned next to the door, the witcher found a piece of cloth, underwear, that as weird as it seemed was, more exactly, panties, red colored, wrapped around a piece of paper.

On the very sheet was written the followings :

* * *

'Dear Davok...

Oh, how much I miss your strong touch around my waist and chest, I want you so badly, my knight in shining armor. I want you to sink your great sword inside me, fill me with your love. Oh, I hope you visit, soon.

Your favorite, Eve.

* * *

Geralt took the item and then looked if there could be something else, but, no luck, that was the only thing he found. He was also aware of the man that was spying on them outside. The letter he found was his best lead so far. If only he could find this woman, called Eve...

'So, anything ?', asked Dorian as soon as Geralt walked out of the room.

'Not a thing.', answered Geralt.

'Should've known...'

'But, by any chance do you know a woman named Eve ?'

'What does that have to do with any of this ?'

'Do you or don't you know a woman with that name ?'

'I do, but...'

'But what ?'

'She's a whore, works at the Naughty Sirens...'

'That does make sense.'

'What does ?'

Suddenly someone gave two hard knocks to the door. Dorian got up from his chair and opened it.

'Who're you and what do you want ?', asked the owner of the hut.

The man that showed up to the door didn't say anything, just looked inside the hut, then turned and leaved.

'Who was that ?', asked the witcher.

'Some drunk fella, knocked at the wrong door. It happens from time to time...'

'Mhm, I bet. Time I leave you be.'

'Your not gonna look around some more ?'

'No need, there's nothing here. I'll look for you if I need more information. So long.'

Then he stepped out of the hut. As he walked out on the street from the door of the hut, he saw Ciri and the young boy accompanying her walking pass the hut, towards the eastern side of the town. Then as he looked to his right, he noticed the eavesdropper's foot prints that came from behind the hut and led in the same direction Ciri was heading.

So, all that he had left to do was go and follow his other lead, the letter and the name of this woman Eve. Who as Dorian said she was working at a brothel, The Naughty Sirens.

As the day was turning slowly into night, in the house of pleasure, known as The Naughty Sirens, which was quite occupied, from locals to drifters. All the girls were busy. The madam, Cherry or Viha as some more 'active' costumers called her, had a smile from ear to ear, as she kept juggling in one hand a pouch full of ducats.

On the upper floor, in Eve's room, she and Mily were chatting on their break, as just few moment ago a costumer just leaved the very chamber. In the background the moans of both men and women were making themselves noticeable.

'Last night, I thought on taking some time off...', began Mily.

'Mhm, it has gotten pretty busy in here, lately.'

'Huh, looks like we're back when there was a war...'

'It does seem that way.'

'I-'

'Which one of you is Eve ?', interrupted Geralt.

Both of them looked at him confused yet with a surprised look, while he made a few more steps inside the room.

'You'll tell me later, I got work now...', began Eve, as she finished her makeup. 'I am.'

'Well, I'll leave you two to it...', continued Mily walking out of the room.

'What it'll be stranger ?', asked Eve, walking towards Geralt.

'I just want to talk.'

'We'll talk while doing it, come on, let's get those off...', she continued, while placing her right hand on Geralt's chest, and the other slowly moving it down towards his trousers.

'Not in the mood.', responded Geralt, grabbing her left hand.

'I'll put you in it if you let me...'

'I want to talk.', repeated the witcher.

'Alright. What about ?'

'A client of yours, hailed Davok.'

'Huh, client confidentiality, sorry...', she answered, turning her back to the witcher. Walking to the table near the bed, where she poured herself in a goblet some wine.

'Mhm...', murmured Geralt, then made the Axii sign, 'Tell me about him, now.'

'Hmm, sure... He's some mercenary. Has a job in town, moving some 'package' as one of his friends said...'

'Where does he and his friend stay ?'

'Davok spends here most nights. He did mentioned that they have a camp somewhere in the woods, near the ruins...'

'Anything else ?'

'That's it. That's all I got out of him.', she responded, taking a sip of wine from the goblet she held in her right hand.

'Fine.', he said taking a hand of coins out of his pouch. 'For your trouble. So long.'

After that Geralt was heading to the Inn, where he'd wait for Ciri.

* * *

Ciri and Jon, were still following the man that they caught spying on Geralt's conversation with the owner of the hut. They followed him east then he took a left and now he was heading towards the forest. Deep in the woods, among the crumbled walls of a manor, a group of bandits made camp. When Ciri and Jon found it, some men inside it where merry and drunk, some half drunk, and some not at all.

'Where's that bitch, I got the mood for a good ploughin' !'

'If you want a woman, go to the brothel, she's off the table...'

'How so ? And who're you to tell me what to do anyway, huh ? Fuck off...', said the man shoving the other aside.

'Careful, Gusan, I wouldn't go down there if I were you, just saying.'

'Davok ! You rat ! Must you spoil my fun every fuckin' time ? I was just fuckin' with him...'

The drunk man went near the fire and sat on a log, drinking some more vodka from his bottle.

'We've found her.'

'Who ?'

'Shintia, she's in there...Come, we'll go back to the Inn, see what Geralt found.', continued Ciri.

They met with Geralt back at the Inn, where they talked about what they'll do next. The plan was to attack the camp during the night and get Shintia out of there.

The two witchers had discovered that her captors sat all that time in a camp they made in the middle of the forest outside Lothorn. At the ruins of an estate that used to be there, of an alchemist that worked for the lord that owned the fort around which the village-town of Lothorn was build around.

* * *

Near the main building, was Shintia, next to a wooden pole, with her hands and legs tied to it. A sign that things had gone for the worst inside the camp. The drunk that tried to rape her previously now got his way.

'I'm gonna do so many things to you...', began the bandit scum. 'In the name of the Eternal Fire.', he continued with a laugh. 'Such lovely hips and look at those legs, hmm...'

While in the distance near the entrance in the camp some of the bandits began to chatter.

'Oy, would you look at this one...Ha !', said the one on the left.

'Hah, why so pale friend ?', responded the other on the right side.

'Maybe he saw Ginger, that fat whore from Ayba's brothel.', said another who joined the conversation.

Then the three at the entrance began to laugh.

'Haven't seen her.', growled the stranger, while the three men continued laughing.

'Huh, he talks...'

'Oy, why the two swords, eh ?

The stranger didn't respond to the question the bandit asked.

'I bet he doesn't know either...'

Then the three men had a good laugh again.

While the ones at the entrance laughed, the one near Shintia kept murmuring things to her.

'Oh, shh, shh, don't worry, me and the lads will be very gentle with you...', then he ripped the cloak she wore off. While behind him the laughs intensified. So much that it began to irritate the one near Shintia.

'Oy ! you pricks...Shut it ! Apologies, they're a bunch of idiots.'

Soon they stopped laughing, catching a breath.

'So, what do you want ?'

The stranger said nothing, again.

'Hah, we've burned him so good he's speechless now...'

'Yeah...'

'Or maybe he is tricking us...'

'Yeah !'

'Oy, can't you hear me ?'

'He's deaf ?'

'Maybe he wants us to think that...'

'Get him !'

While the one near Shintia kept touching her. Grabbing her breasts and several other lower areas. Sniffing her. Licking her left cheek. As she struggled and screamed.

'What are you idiots doing now...'. asked the man, turning around as he heard metal hits, 'Shit- It's- Witcher !', screamed the man, then turned around only to receive a punch straight in the face. A right punch delivered by Ciri in the middle of the bandit's face, who's nose began to bleed as he fell down.

'Shut up...', added Ciri.

While the men inside the camp converged to the entrance where Geralt was, Ciri cut Shintia free. Then as Geralt used his Aard sign to throw some of them away from him, Ciri teleported in the middle of those pushed away by Geralt's sign.

'Sorcery !', yelled one of the bandits before Ciri cut him in half. She cut through few of them.

'Go, I'll handle them.', said Geralt, while punching and cutting, avoiding the dull blades of the bandits, then slaughtering them with his sharp steel sword, cutting their arms and slashing through them.

Ciri teleported back to Shintia, grabbed her hand and teleported them both away from the ruins of the laboratory. Where only Geralt and the mercenaries left standing remained...


	5. V

**.V.**

* * *

 _ **'Once we were many, now we are few...'**_

* * *

The plan worked, like a charm, now all that was left to do was to get the left pieces of the puzzle. Now, they had to finish what has been started. They stumbled upon Shintia due the stupidity of those that kidnapped her. How dumb should they be to stay in the same place ? They weren't near as organized as Geralt thought when he took the contract, in other words they were a big shitty mess, undoubtedly.

Luck, that's what this had been, just pure fuckin' luck.

Yet, it was not all over. Geralt needed to get those that took this task that they so stupidly messed up. It was a part of the contract, and as he experienced before, if you do half the work, you get half the reward, so, it was not all good and done.

This was still a long way from being the end...

After the Nilfgaardians left the North, in Novigrad, the Church of Eternal Fire kept purging those that either scoffed at their belief or diverted from their holy dogmas. Some times outside the wall on a pyre was either a wench from the portside brothel, a street trumpet, dwarf or just men. That the holy church believed unworthy to live or mere walk the streets of the 'free' city of Novigrad.

Back at the ruins of the old laboratory, within the woods, Geralt had finished cutting the bandits down. Now looking around for more clues. He walked towards an unaffected area of the ruined building, where along a broken wall was a door that led to a room, which was still standing.

'Black walls, the residence was burned down. Some time ago.', murmured the witcher, while walking towards the door.

'This is where they kept her...', continued Geralt as he entered the room.

'That's right.', someone said from behind. 'But, she escaped didn't she-'

'Mhm, so what now ?', grunted Geralt, as he stood beyond the door jamb, inside the room, with his back towards the bandit.

'You butchered them. You ain't going out of here alive, freak.'.

Geralt's left hand turned into a fist, while his other hand went to the grip of his steel sword, followed up by the screeching sound of it coming out of the scabbard.

* * *

'What just happened ? How did we get here ?', began Shintia, breathing heavily.

'Calm down, you're safe. We are outside Lothorn.', answered Ciri.

'Who are you ?'

'We...were hired by your father to find you-'

'My father...How did he knew ?'

'Your husband, sent him a letter after your disappearance.'

'He did what ?', whispered Shintia, walking towards a fence made of stone and perched on it.

'What's wrong ?', asked Ciri, standing in front of her.

'He-', she began then closed her eyes and clenched her teeth after which she resumed.

'He...was the one that took me. He delivered me to them. Like a dog.', she continued, while two tear drops fell from her eyes down her face and off her chin, breaking and watering the dusty road side.

Ciri wrapped her arms around Shintia's head, as she was crying, sobbing. She had been hurt by the one she trusted the most, sold, like she meant nothing. Ciri knew how it felt. She knew how Shintia felt, as every bit and drop of tears, were wetting her shoulder...She knew how she felt, and it made her angry.

'I will get that piece of shit, I promise.', whispered Ciri into Shintia's ear. 'He'll be sorry...'

From the woods, on the other side of the road, Jon appeared.

'Good, you found her...She's alright ?', asked Jon.

Ciri quickly grabbed Shintia's hand, and turned to Jon.

'We're going to the house !'. then she disappeared in a gust of heat and a flash of light.

'Great...', replied Jon to himself, then walked down the road side, back to town. While Ciri and Shintia appeared in front of the blue hut.

'What are we doing here ?', asked Shintia, wiping the tears from her face.

'We're hunting your spouse.'

'He's obviously not here...', Shintia continued, while she got herself together.

'Mhm, but he left a set of tracks. Leading west. He told Geralt he stayed at a friend's hut, west, at the edge of the town.', responded Ciri.

'A friend ?'

'That's what he said. Come on.'.

'Geralt ? Is he the one we left in the woods ?'

'Yes.'

'Is he going to be fine ? I mean, he was outnumbered.'

'He's a witcher, the best I know. Trust me, those bandits, are very dead by now.'

* * *

While the two were heading towards the house in which Dorian lived nowadays, in the camp the bandits made within the crumbling walls of the burned manor, Geralt had to do his trade.

'Wake up !', grunted Geralt after he poured a whole bucket of water on the bandit that he knocked unconscious with the pommel of his steel sword. The man jumped like he'd been struck by lighting.

'Talk !', continued the witcher.

The bandit scoffed at the words the witcher told previously.

'Make me !', yelled the bandit.

'Fine. Talk. Who planned this ?', asked Geralt, this time using his Axii sign on him.

'Who ? Several men. I'm one of them. Davok they call me, the other three are dead. Two still live. One in town and the other not.'

'Who's the one in town ? Give me his name.'

'Huh, you met him. The husband. Dorian. One big son of a wench, gave up his wife just because Akuf asked...'

'Who's Akuf ? And where can I find him ?'

'Attre, by now, maybe he left. Who knows...'

'Is he coming here ?'

'No.'

'Then where ?'

'I don't know, you see that one with a scarlet cloth on him ? That one knew, but now he doesn't...', answered Davok, then showed a smile showing off his bloody teeth.

'Akuf, who is he ?'

'Some priest…Or was one, and went mercenary. Weird one, shady, always has that look of someone that would stab you in the back if you ain't careful...'.

'Of the Eternal Fire ?'

'Aye. He had this idea of robbing Vassco of his daughter since Novigrad. I guess he fucked with the wrong 'lord'.'

'Why ?'

'He wanted her to himself, he said she was a wench. That he has to punish her for her sins. He's ruled by madness, he said once that the roaring of flames are voices that speak to him...'

'How's that you didn't leave ?'

'We had...complications. Half of us changed their mind when they heard that a witcher was sent to find Vassco's daughter. Ran or simply refused to leave. That and some rumors about our payment, that Vassco would rather see his daughter dead then give us coin to release her. When we got word that you arrived in town, two men began to plot against me and Arch, we had one of them killed. The other one was Gusan.', then Davok moved his head towards the man called Gusan, the one that Ciri punched in the face. He was now sitting next to a tree, tied to it.

'He wanted to take her to Vassco himself and as he said 'do her on his ploughin' table'. The-'

'I heard enough.', grunted Geralt, grabbing his steel sword's grip.

* * *

As for Ciri and Shintia, the house in which Dorian was, came closer and closer in sight. Jon had joined them since the two left the blue hut's front yard.

A light was flickering near one of the windows, it seemed someone was home. Soon they arrived in front of the hut.

'Jon, wait outside. Shintia, stay behind me. Let's go...', began Ciri.

The Witcheress kicked the door open, and stormed in. The only one inside was as expected, Dorian. Who from the looks of it was writing a letter. He jumped out of the chair and grabbed a sword he had near the wall. Ciri with a swing made it fly out of his hand, then with her right fist struck him in the jaw, then teleported behind him pushing him forward then back, throwing him across the room.

Dorian stopped on the other side of the room, near a cabinet. Then as he risen his head, he was struck again by Ciri.

'You made a-'

'Shut up.', murmured Ciri, as she hit him again.

'You-'

'Monster ?', interrupted Dorian.

'Maybe...'

He began to murmur, 'You better leave. They-'

'There is no one coming...'. said Ciri, then Shintia entered the room. 'Not for you.'

He looked, shocked, surprised, like he couldn't cope with what was happening. He clearly didn't expect to see her again.

Shintia did not look at him, she walked and stood near a table on the other side of the room. Looking at the floor, then she walked towards Ciri. Out of nowhere she rushed at him, holding in her left hand a small knife, she stabbed him in the chest, then as she got straight she kicked him in the head. Putting him to sleep.

After that she just walked out of the hut and sat down on the couple of stairs in front of the hut. Where Jon sat as well. He saw what happened inside, and he understood her pain, besides he liked her.

Shintia was beautiful, daughter of a feared underworld boss, but who's mother died during birth. She was around the same age as Ciri. She had lived through a war in the city of persecutions, where, sadly, she met the wrong people, and fell in love with the wrong man. She should've went home instead of coming here, she should've listened to her father. Who as famous as he is for beheading men, and hanging women, was the best father she could ask for. Granted her every wish, gave her every toy and clothes. Who cared for her when she was sick and helped her when she was in trouble. The kind father who taught her all that he knew and when he saw that his child's curiosity is far greater that the knowledge he has, so that she can learn more, he brought for her the best teachers from Oxenfurt and Ban Ard.

She should've went home. She knew it, and regretted all of it. One more scar that she made for herself.

Her left hand was still shaking. She had never hurt someone, at least not with a weapon, not in the way that makes blood come out.

'Are you alright ?', asked Ciri, sitting next to her, placing her hand on Shintia's forearm.

'I'm sorry, I-'

'Don't. It's fine. Besides he deserved it. He won't die from that, it barely pierced through the ribs...'

'What will you do with him ?'

'Ask a few questions. After that, I think he's dead. Your father's request.'

'He was always right, my father. Don't know why I didn't listen to him...'

Ciri smiled, then she remembered that Geralt was running late, she quickly got up from the stairs, looked inside the hut, then turned to Jon and Shintia.

'Watch him, I'm going back to the ruins.', then she left.

On the way to the forest, she met with Geralt who left towards the inn to talk with the stable owner about tomorrow morning, when he planned to leave for Attre to look for Akuf.

On their way to the Inn, Ciri told Geralt what she found out about Dorian and that she tied him up to a chair, and left Shintia and Jon to guard him. Then it was Geralt's turn to tell what he found out. About all the things he got out of Davok, and the man they still had to find and kill, Akuf.

After they talked to the stable owner they went back to the house, where they planned to interrogate Dorian, once again, mainly about the whereabouts of the man called Akuf.

* * *

'You're back, good, he woke up...', began Jon, as he opened the door.

Geralt and Ciri joined by Jon and Shintia, began to question Dorian. He didn't want to give much away at first until Geralt used Axii on him too.

'Tell me, where is Akuf ?, asked Geralt.

'I...don't know, he used to send letters, but he sent nothing after the one about...'

'About what ?'

'...The payment. Vassco refused to pay us for...Shintia.'

'So you know nothing of him ?', asked Ciri.

'No, he didn't respond to my last three letters...'

'What do you think happened ?', Ciri asked once again.

'I don't know...'.

It was no reason asking other questions. It was pointless, he had nothing else to tell than what Geralt and Ciri already knew.

Ciri, Shintia and Jon left towards the inn, while Geralt stayed to finish the job. Dorian couldn't get to live. After he finished he left for the Inn too.

In the morning he and Ciri, accompanied by Shintia left, by the waves of goodbye from Jon, who stayed one more day to convince his mother to leave with him, after which he'd join Shintia at the castle, where she promised him a job.

That same day, near sundown, the two witchers and Shintia, arrived at the fortress, where Vivio Vassco was awaiting them on the shore.

'Witcher ! Greetings, it is good to see you.', began Vassco. 'Shintia, my ruby...', he continued, hugging his daughter and kissing her head. 'Go on, Bull, will take you to the isle, I have to complete my deal with Geralt.'

'Thank you.', said Shintia, then she walked to the boat.

'It is not done. Our deal. One man still lives, Akuf.', grunted the witcher.

'Akuf ? He's dead. He was the one that made one child from the village come here and offer me a deal, for my daughter ! I took my sword and hunted the fucker down myself. Tied him by the legs and arms to four horses...I shredded him to pieces !'

'Efficient...'

'Therefore witcher, our deal is done. Here's the sum we agreed on. Till we meet again. Good luck on the path !'

'So long.'

Geralt then went to the stables where Ciri awaited him. After which the two left for Toussaint.

* * *

After three days the two witchers had reached the hills of Toussaint, taking on the fresh air, and the hot sun.

Around noon they arrived at Corvo Bianco, where a certain woman in black velvet was expecting them.

'Finally ! You two had a long 'short' adventure.', began Yennefer as she came down from the stairs of the house. Ciri rushed to give Yennefer a hug.

'I missed you. Now go, have a bath, you are filthy.', after which Ciri went inside the villa.

'You prolonged your excursion...'

'Mhm, had some good contracts. How was yours ?'

'A political mess, but I don't think you want to know.'

'How's Triss ?'

'She's fine. That's the first thing that came to mind ?'

'No, I just-'

'I'm playing you...'

'You know, I missed you too.', murmured Geralt.

'Hmm, I...missed you as well.'.

* * *

 _ **'...Among us, a legend...The one they call Geralt of Rivia...The White Wolf !'**_


	6. VI

_This chapter is not a continuation of the main story, it is a side story (a short one)._

* * *

 **.VI.**

* * *

 _ **'Life is not a fairy tale...**_

 _ **And there are no happy endings.'**_

* * *

 **A FEW YEARS LATER, GERALT 'VISITS' VIVIO VASSCO AT HIS FORTRESS ON THE ISLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE. AFTER CONCLU** **DING HIS BUSSINES, GERALT, NOW ON A BOAT, REACHES THE SHORE, GETS OFF THE BOAT AND AS HE WALKS TOWARDS THE STABLES TO GET HIS MARE AND LEAVE FOR ATTRE OR BACK TO TOUSSAINT, HE NOTICES A GROUP OF PEOPLE GATTERED NEAR THE STABLES. SOON, SOMEONE FROM THAT CROWD APPROACHES HIM...**

* * *

'Master Witcher...'

'What is it ?', responded the witcher.

'We might have a job for you.'

'How's that ?'

'Someone dissapeared...'

'Now ?'

'Few hours ago, a child, not more then eight summers to him...Will you find what came of him ?'

'Got a reward ?'

'Hmm, not yet...', answered the peasant, in a way that gave the witcher a scent of what was.

'Mhm, not gonna work for free.'

'But-'

'No buts, get some gold and I will do it, don't, find him yourselves.'

As the man talked to the witcher, a woman walked towards them, coming from the crowd gattered in front of the stables.

'So, you'll do it ?', began the woman.

'No gold. No witcher.'

The woman shook her head, while she took a step forward. Placed her both hands on her hips and then continued...

'Huh, so it's true your kind never raised a hand for nothing...'

'Move...', grunted Geralt.

The woman and the man in front of the witcher did as they were instructed to, and moved aside. Geralt walked towards entrance of the stables.

Some moments later someone walked inside the stables.

'Master, please, it's my son that went missing...', began the worried father, 'Can't go home without him, or without knowing what happened to him. Please, you must help.'

The witcher didn't say a word, yet his uniteresst told the man more than words could've.

The peasant took a deep breath, the opened a satchel he had with him.

'I'll pay you, here, this enough ? It is all I hav-'

'Fine I'll do it, and keep the coin...', responded Geralt. 'So, what happened ?', he continued.

'We've come here this morning, to gatter mushrooms...We were on the other side of the lake. Ivar, he went to play closer to the lake's shore. I turned to look for more mushrooms and...When I turned to look for him he was nowhere in sight, the water was still shivering, so, I thought that he saw a rabbit or something near the trees, I called him, more than a dozen times, nothing...'

'You heared nothing out of the ordinary ?'

'Not a thing...besides the forest's creaks and squeezes.'

'The water...you said it shivered ?'

'Yes, becauese Ivar was wriggling a stick in it...'

'Mhm, I'll see to it.'

The father breathe with relief that he'll learn what came of his son.

The witcher then walked out of the stables and went to the other side of the lake. Where he'd have to find what had come of little Ivar.

The lake wasn't crystal clean, probably it never been, or if it was, that had been decades ago. A brown colored water, from all the mud on its bottom, with leafs and small branches floating on it's surface near the shore. So to go for a swim in it was out of the discussion.

When Geralt arrived to that shore of the lake, he found only the tracks the two made to a point where the kid stopped near the shore and from there he saw only his fathers foot prints.

'This is the last place he left any prints...', began Geralt, 'No sign that he wondered towards the trees...So, something must've got him, from the water. Snatched him so quick that he didn't have time to scream...Drowner maybe...No, I don't think so.'

He touched the water's surface then got up, as he crouched down to look for clues.

'What ever it is, this is not it's first time...', then he walked back to the stables.

* * *

 _-Not gonna learn anything else here.-_

* * *

When he arrive at the stables, Ivar's father got up from a bench and waited for the witcher to come closer to him.

'So ? Did you find something ?'

'No much. There were no foot steps towards the trees...', answered Geralt, while the father's eyes went down for a moment, and tears began to water them.

'So...', began Ivar's father looking at Geralt. The witcher said no words, yet the answer was clear for the man.

'Where's the stables owner ?', resumed Geralt.

The man closed his eyes, took a deep breath then answered the witcher's question.

'Ahm, Ian !'

'What ?', answered the man, 'Damnit, what ? Oh, Abe...What is it ?'

'I want to talk with you.', responded Geralt, walking towards him.

'What about ?'

'Had any monster related incidents around the lake lately ?'

'No man or woman, nor child dissapeared before...'

'Nothing else ?'

The man called Ian thought about what the witcher asked about, soon he offered an answer.

'Few months back in spring, a horse got injured...'

'Near the lake ?'

'I guess, that's what some people said. A mare, she went to drink some water from the lake, and injured one of it's front legs...'

'In what ? Or what got her ?'

'Well, I said that it was a bear trap.'

'A bear trap ?'

'There are some left still, since we put them to get rid of the crocodiles that lived in the lake.'

'Huh, you did that with bear traps ?'

'We did, and it worked like a charm. You see, they were catching all the fish in the lake, and we couldn't catch as many of them anymore, so we had to get rid of damn crocodiles, and we did. But, lately many of the species we had here died out. Only a few left.'

'And the crocodiles ?'

'Haven't seen one since I was a child, when they were getting caught in the traps.'

'Besides the horse incident, nothing else ?'

'Not one thing.'

'That's all. Thanks.', said the witcher, then went back to Abe, Ivar's father.

'Learned anything helpful ?', asked the man.

'Not really, but I got a hunch...'

'About ?'

'Not sure yet. Got to set a bait.'

'I'm good at hunting, a deer could be a fine bait.'

'Guessed as much.'

'I want to help.'

'Don't need it. Let me do my work.'

'Alright.'

'See you in a bit.'

It takes some time to get to the other side of the lake, an hour or more. The lake was quite big, and an important water source for the area. Among the peaks of the Amell Mountains at a height of at least one thousand meters above sea level, it was made by a meteorite, as the people claim, that after many decades of rain filled with water. Yet no one knows how the Isle in the middle of it came to survive that meteorite strike, and the fact that no one came collecting meteorite ore anywhere close to the lake. Proving that the tale was pure poppycock. Therefore, the more believable origin of the lake is that it is a volcanic lake, just that.

The witcher went back where Ivar disappeared, where he'd set a bait for whatever lurked in the lake. After the trap had been set, a deer whose blood he'd drawn out and spilled some on the water so that what ever was in it got the scent. Geralt looked for a place from where to watch what happens. He found a place near a rock, not far from where the bait was, he sat there for a while.

After he waited around few hours, the only thing the caught the scent of the deer carcass were some crows who settled on picking the meat around the area of the cut, and gauge it's eyes out. At the sight of that Geralt reached for his crossbow to shoot one of them, draw more blood. He picked up his crossbow and did not manage to aim because from the water the more awaited killer surfaced. So aggressively, yet so elegantly, without splashing the water, quick as an arrow, maybe even quicker. Bearing his razor sharp teeth, clasping them around a selfish crow, who unlike her brethren didn't flee, but stayed to stuff her belly with an eye. The sheer force with which his mandibulae closed on the unknowing bird crashed it entirely between them. The lake's murderer then grabbed the deer carcass and carried it into the water.

'Huh, not the usual thing witchers are hired to kill...', muttered Geralt.

Geralt then grabbed his swords and crossbow and went to the spot he placed the bait.

'He's gotta have a den somewhere on the isle...', he continued, as he raised his head and looked towards the isle which stood in the middle of the pond.

Afterwards he went back to the stables, where he planed to tell Abe and Ian about the murderer that lurks in the lake.

As soon as he reached the stables, Abe and Ian quit whatever they were doing and went to hear if the witcher's bait worked.

'What creature prowls the lake ?', began Ian, as soon as they met the witcher, 'Drowners ? Water hag ?'

'None of those, your monster is unusual.'

'How so ?', asked Abe.

'It is not what you'd expect, and you've met him before, the incident with the horse, the extinct kinds of fishes in the lake...'

'What is it ? Tell us already.'

'A big, old, strong and mean crocodile.'

'What...', said Ian confused. Abe didn't began to say anything nor looked like he planned to. 'But, we killed them all...'

'Not all it seems. This one survived.'

'And he's big you say ?'

'Seen only half of it, and it was big enough as it was.'

'You didn't kill it ?'

'Couldn't, he doesn't get far from the water. Probably that's how no one seen him.'

'Damn.', murmured Abe.

'So it could be anywhere in the lake ?'

'Not sure of that, I think he has a den on the isle. Another reason no one saw it.'

'So the bastard ate the fish in the lake till now ?'

'Mhm, doesn't find as much fish as he did, so he now hunts outside of the water too.'

'You must cut the filth down, master witcher...', said Ian.

'I will. But I must get to the isle first, got a boat ?'

'I don't, but Kilvar has one, he lives in that hut over there. Could ask him about it.', answered Ian.

'Good, I'll be off then.'

Geralt went to Kilvar's hut from where he went to the man's boat, and set off towards the isle. He circled the Isle for a while, then he noticed a cave. Stopped his boat near the entrance to it. As luck had it, he had to swim in order to enter it.

Leaved his crossbow in the boat, as it couldn't do any damage to the reptile's thick scales. And his silver sword, for it was no monster, at least no one that required silver to get rid off. Dropped his gauntlets and chest piece. Drank a Cat potion, then jumped in the filthy water.

The tunnel that lead to the cave was pitch dark, no way a human could've seen through all that filth. Luckly it wasn't long, soon he reached the cavern. Dark and full of bones, and a heavy, nose-breaking stentch. Geralt took his steel sword out of the scabbard and walked slowly deeper in the cave.

'Has an impresive amount of trophies...', murmured Geralt, as he walked further into the cave.

Soon he walked passed the deer he used as a bait, half eaten.

After few more moments he reached the end of the cave, no sign of the crocodile. But soon he heard a deep hissing, coming from his left, then saw it. The crocodile quickly launched itself for a bite near Geralt's hips, but failed to catch him between his strong jaws. Geralt with a jump and a flip along with a piruette, placed his sword through the reptile's skull. Then took it out and cut the crocodile's head clean off.

After that he looked a bit more around the crocodile's den, he soon found half a body, small, a child's. It was Ivar...

He then took the head of the crocodile with him to the boat and went back to shore. Where Abe, was siting on a bench in front of Kilvar's hut, waiting for the witcher's return.


End file.
